One of our local communities (not my favorite builder's) had a cabinet truck catch fire. They were running the generator in the truck and something caught fire. I want "a big ball of plastic laid on the muffler" in the office pool.

It ended up totalling the truck, two houses worth of cabinets (8 weeks out) and lit up the porta potty. The fire marshal is investigating but he has nothing to go on ... <rimshot>

Seriously, is there a rule about running a generator inside a box van?

My truck once belonged to the PoCo. Inside is a locking bin, with mounting pads for a generator. In the outside wall of the truck are installed a pair of vents. The generator was connected to a pair of receptacles on the body of the truck.

Now, keep in mind that the rear service body of my truck is in no way connected to the cab of the truck.

Of course, this set-up is in a whole different class than simply setting the genny on the floor of a van, then stacking boxes of stuff all over and around it!

Re: Run generator in the truck?#15095603/05/0604:13 PM03/05/0604:13 PM

Ray, pedantic I know, but it's carbon monoxide, CO , that's truly poisonous. Lethal in very small concentrations and odorless, tasteless and invisible, which makes it an insidious killer. Always produced by engine exhausts, along with carbon dioxide, CO2

CARBON MONOXIDE, CO100ppm [0.01%] in air will give you a headache,400ppm [0.04%] can prove fatal, and1.28% will kill you in less than 3 minutes, so this is not a gas to take chances with.

CARBON DIOXIDE, CO2CO2 is totally harmless unless the concentration in the air rise to a significant percentage. Actually, CO2 is the 'fizz' ingredient in soft drinks. Plain asphyxia, ie lack of oxygen, being its only danger, a very unlikely occurance.

CO in very small concentrations causes all kinds of problems with human physiology and recovery can take months or indeed the damage may prove permanent.

Any engine exhaust or indeed any device such as a gas water-heater requires proper maintenance to prevent combustion products entering the vehicle, for this very reason.

Alan

Wood work but can't!

Re: Run generator in the truck?#15095703/12/0607:56 AM03/12/0607:56 AM

Look at the Combustion triangle.Heat>>Oxygen>>Fuel.It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that out.Sure let's get rid of the heat, how can you do that with a small chimney?.That genny had been modified in the wrong way.Regardless of how you jump on Ray (RODALCO), it is just plain bloody wrong to run a generator in a vehicle, just the same as you wouldn't run one in your Lounge, with the doors and windows shut, not to mention the noise.Bugger me.CO doesn't even come into it Alan.Unless CO means Common Sense.Why don't we just light a fire in the boot of all our cars and watch?.Get real folks, please.

Re: Run generator in the truck?#15095803/12/0608:30 AM03/12/0608:30 AM

I have to say I am guilty of doing that a few times, mind you there was NOTHING in the van and the back and side doors were open as well.... No one was in the van, we just sat it in there to shelter the gennie from the rain... and if it were to have started the van on fire... so be it, it would be doing the boss a favour anyway!!

A.D

Re: Run generator in the truck?#15096203/24/0605:14 AM03/24/0605:14 AM